user
Explain the difference between mitigating and exacerbating factors.

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assistant
Mitigating factors are factors that reduce the severity of an event, whereas exacerbating factors increase the severity of an event. Mitigating factors can range from preventative measures, such as insulation in a building to reduce fire risk, to individual actions taken in response to a crisis. Exacerbating factors can include environmental elements, such as increased wind speed which can make a fire spread quicker, or personal actions, such as increasing the volume of alcohol consumption.